Marcel Wouda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Olympic medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s Swimming | |||
| Bronze | Sydney 2000 | 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay | |
| European Championships | |||
| Bronze | Sheffield 1993 | 400m Individual Medley | |
| Gold | Seville 1997 | 200m Individual Medley | |
| Gold | Seville 1997 | 400m Individual Medley | |
| Silver | Seville 1997 | 4x200m Freestyle Relay | |
| Gold | Istanbul 1999 | 200m Individual Medley | |
| Gold | Istanbul 1999 | 4x100m Freestyle Relay | |
| Gold | Istanbul 1999 | 4x100m Medley Relay | |
| Bronze | Istanbul 1999 | 400m Individual Medley | |
| Bronze | Helsinki 2000 | 4x200m Freestyle Relay | |
Marcel Reinier Wouda (January 23, 1972 in Tilburg, Noord-Brabant) is a Dutch former swimmer, who became Holland's first world champion when he won the world title in the 200m individual medley at the FINA World Championships in Perth, Australia in 1998.
Wouda grew up in Uden, where he joined the De Zeester swimming club at a very young age. His trainers were Martien Swinkels and then Rob Kennis, who brought him to the top of Dutch swimming. Wouda made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Olympic Games, where he was the sole male in the Dutch squad of eight females. Afterwards he moved to the United States, where he joined The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, under the guidance of trainer-coach Jon Urbanchek, alongside swimmers like Eric Namesnik, Gustavo Borges and Tom Dolan.
Two years later Wouda moved back to The Netherlands, where trainer-coach Jacco Verhaeren brought him back to the top. With two world records on the short course (25 metres) and a world title in 1998 (long course) Wouda was responsible for the rebirth of Dutch swimming.
Unfortunately for him it turned out to be that his physique was no longer good enough for the 2000 Olympic Games, despite which he won a bronze medal in the 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. In the aftermath of the Sydney Olympics Wouda resigned from swimming. Six months later a Dutch journalist from Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, Mark Hoogstad, revealed a book in which Wouda was the main character. It describes the resurrection of Dutch swimming at the hand of Wouda's career.
Wouda was the head coach of Dutch junior swimming for two years, before being named assistant-coach of Verhaeren in Eindhoven, in October 2006.
[edit] Reference
- Hoogstad, Mark, De Macht van Water – Marcel Wouda en de opkomst van het Nederlandse zwemmen, 2001
| Preceded by: Richard Krajicek |
Dutch Sportsman of the Year 1997 |
Succeeded by: Gianni Romme |
Categories: 1972 births | Living people | Olympic swimmers of the Netherlands | Dutch medley swimmers | Dutch freestyle swimmers | Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics | Swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics | Swimmers at the 1992 Summer Olympics | Swimming coaches | Olympic bronze medalists for the Netherlands | University of Michigan alumni
